Austin shooting spree: 3 held after at least 12 incidents, police say

At least 12 shootings in Austin beginning Saturday left four people wounded including one person seriously hurt, officials said. Two teen suspects are in custody, and a third suspect has been detained, police said Sunday.

Austin police said the incident began at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday with a vehicle being reported stolen from an apartment complex, followed by a firearm being reported stolen from a store.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said at that point, officials did not know the two incidents were connected; however, approximately 20 additional service calls related to the suspects followed, predominantly in South and East Austin.

Austin shootings traced to stolen car, gun theft, police say

The incidents stopped Saturday night before picking back up again on Sunday at 8:47 a.m. “when a man walking his dog was struck in his back with gunfire,” Davis said.     

Davis said most of the shootings occurred in South Austin.

Mayor Kirk Watson said that includes two at different fire stations, including one when a firetruck was hit with gunfire with fire personnel standing right behind it.

Davis said the suspects also fired at apartment buildings. Officers, in turn, went door-to-door to ensure everyone in the apartment buildings was safe.

The chief said on Sunday afternoon that investigators were searching for multiple suspect vehicles, including a black or dark blue Hyundai, a gold Hyundai sedan, a silver four-door Mazda and a white Kia Optima. Davis said at least four vehicles were stolen.

“We had two individuals that were going and robbing cars, and then started firing shots at people,” Davis said Sunday evening. “We had one pole cam that was up that actually captured one of the shootings in front of a store where two people were shot. A woman sitting there, standing there, talking to someone, and they drive by, and they shoot out their window, striking her.”

Watson said no motive has been identified, and the shootings appear to have been random.

“I don’t know what motive would drive anybody to drive around senselessly in this city, in multiple parts of this city, shooting,” he said.

2 teen suspects arrested after traffic stop 

In their search for suspects, officials with the Manor Police Department and Travis County Sheriff’s Office made a traffic stop on a white Kia based on information from Austin police. Three suspects got out of the car and ran before officers apprehended two of them, officials said.

Austin police did not identify the two suspects who were initially in custody.

Davis said investigators don’t know when the third person became involved, but Manor police said Sunday night that the third suspect has been detained.

The chief said the suspects in custody are 15-year-old and 17-year-old boys. Police said the 17-year-old has a warrant for theft of a gun from the same store where the 15-year-old allegedly stole a gun on Saturday.

The city issued a shelter-in-place order on Sunday while the search was on for the suspects. The order was later lifted after the first two suspects were taken into custody.

The investigation is active and ongoing, Davis said.